The Merrill Girl
by CherryCokesandWinterSmokes
Summary: Chris falls for someone he shouldn't be falling for. Ace Merrill's little sister. Rated T for language, violence, mild romantic content. PLEASE REVIEW! The more reviews I get, the faster I will update and the more I will write. Chris/OC
1. Poison

So I hope you enjoy my story and in case it would be difficult to guess I'd like to say that I did get the idea for my OC's name from the Alice Cooper song Poison. That song and its lyrics were kind of like my inspiration for this character and to write this character. This song actually gave me the idea for this story and if you have never heard it before, I highly recommend you listen to it. Either for this to help get a better picture of what I'm trying to say or for enjoyment. The lyrics are here as well which will help if you can't listen.

_Poison: Alice Cooper_

_Your cruel device  
your blood, like ice  
One look, could kill  
My pain, your thrill_

I want to love you but I better not touch (don?t touch)  
I want to hold you, but my senses tell me to stop  
I want to kiss you but I want it too much (too much)  
I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison  
You're poison, running through my veins  
Poison  
I don't want to break these chains

Your mouth, so hot  
Your web, I'm caught  
Your skin, so wet  
Black lace, on sweat

I hear you calling and it's needles and pins (and pins)  
I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name  
Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin (deep in)  
I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison  
You're poison, running through my veins  
Poison  
I don't want to break these chains  
Poison...

(guitar solo)

One look, could kill  
My pain, your thrill

I want to love you but I better not touch (don?t touch)  
I want to hold you, but my senses tell me to stop  
I want to kiss you but I want it too much (to much)  
I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison  
You're poison, running through my veins  
Poison  
I don't want to break these chains  
Poison (Poi-son)

I want to love you but I better not touch (don?t touch)  
I want to hold you, but my senses tell me to stop  
I want to kiss you but I want it too much (too much)  
I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison  
Yeah  
Well I don't want to break these chains  
Poison  
Runnin' deep inside my veins  
Burnin' deep inside my brain  
Poison  
And I don't want to break these chains  
Poison

~C.C.

It was a normal summer day in Castle Rock. The sun was scorching, the birds were chirping, and Vince Desjardins of The Cobras was terrorizing the boys. Gordie Lachance and his best friend, Chris Chambers were just enjoying a walk down Main Street when Vince stole Gordie's Yankee cap.

"Come on man, give it back. My brother gave me that," Gordie whined as he jumped up to grab it out of his hand.

"Yeah, well it's not yours anymore." Vince smirked. He really got his kicks taking a kids hat. What a joke.

She couldn't take it when The Cobras did things to undeserving people. Granted, she loved to fight and if you started shit with her, she'd take you out. But one thing she didn't have patience for was when they would go after kids who didn't do nothin. Alice Merrill was walking down the same street watching this happen and it made her blood boil. She was Ace Merrill's younger sister and the only female member of The Cobras. The best part was that they didn't treat her any different just because she was a girl. She was as tough as Ace and looked just like him too. And she could certainly play tough with the rest of em.

"Vince? What the hell are you doin?"

"Oh hello Poison," he smirked. Poison was her nickname. They gave her one because Alice wasn't tough enough. And some of the others had one. It also kinda fit with the whole Cobra thing, which she liked.

She sensed that Vince wasn't going to back down so she had to take action. She threw a right hook to his face that would have made Rocky Marciano himself jealous.

She ripped the hat out of his hand. "Now get out of my sight. I'll deal with you later." Vince ran out of there faster than a racehorse.

Chris couldn't believe what had just happened. Somebody, a girl no less, had had the nerve to stand up to a Cobra. And punch them in the face! She was a knockout, and not just in the punches. But she looked eerily familiar, but couldn't place the face.

She tossed the hat back to the scrawny one and started off. But Chris stopped her.

"Why'd you do that?"

She turned back around so slowly it was like she believed that she couldn't even be bothered to be spoken to.

"I don't know. I just don't like to see some kids getting fucked around with, ya know? Especially when I know you didn't do nothin to him."

"Well we aren't kids. We can handle ourselves." Chris managed to scrape his pride off the sidewalk and sound a little defiant.

"Then why didn't you?" She pulled a cigarette from the pack in her shirt sleeve underneath her leather jacket and lit it. Chris fumbled slightly. This girl was so rude, so tough. And it only made Chris like her more.

"That's what I thought," she smirked. She spoke with a bored voice too. Like it was just killing her to speak a few words with someone.

"I didn't catch your name." Chris was desperate to keep talking to this girl.

"I didn't tell you. And I don't plan on it, Chambers."

_How does she know who I am? _Chris thought to himself. Most of the people in town knew the Chambers. And, just like her, most of them said the name with the same distaste.

She held back a laugh on those cherry red lips of hers and blew her smoke right in his face. "Maybe I'll see you around. Chambers kid." She flicked her head at him and headed off in the other direction.

He watched her leave. The strut down the road, it looked so familiar. He had to know her from somewhere, he just had too. But he thought he would remember someone like her. She had this platinum blonde hair with a little bit of an orange streaking in it, like she dyed it. And it was shaved on the side so the whole wavy mass of long hair was on one side. He couldn't see her eyes because she wore black sunglasses, like the ones Teddy wore but without clear lenses. It was weird because there were virtually no girls in all of Castle Rock who dressed like her or looked like her. She even was wearing black jeans and combat boots, a la Teddy Duchamp and a black leather jacket.

All Chris knew was that he thought she was beautiful and utterly perfect. It was like he knew her already, from the clothes to the bored, cool voice to the cherry red fingernails. Oh she would definitely see him around. He would make sure of that.


	2. Bed of Nails

As soon as Alice stepped inside the front door of her house, she was grabbed by Ace and dragged to the kitchen. She punched him in the arm so hard he let go.

"What the fuck was that about Ace?"

"You should know damn well what it was about. What the hell was up with you earlier? You don't just punch Vince in the face to help out those little faggots," Ace fumed.

"Well maybe you should pick on people who deserve it and not just some helpless kids."

"Oh please. They're the same age as you. They can handle themselves."

"Well apparently not since I had to step in!" She walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer, popped the top off with her teeth, and took a long swig. Ace never cared much if she drank or smoked, even though she was only fourteen. They didn't have parents around or anything so it didn't really matter.

"Just... Just don't be fuckin around with those kids," Ace warned. "They're the enemy. Now get out of my sight before I get pissed again."

She flipped him off and hit the pavement, not even able to finish her beer. Alice wondered what her next move should be. She lit a cigarette and started walking. Then decided that maybe she would go knock off a convenience store or steal some guys' wallets or something.

Right when she was about to hit the small family owned market in town, somebody got in her way.

"Chambers kid, right?"

"Girl who I don't know the name of, right?"

"Very nice. You aren't acting like such a pussy in front of me anymore, Chambers. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got Winstons to steal."

"Do you wanna come hang out? With me and my friends?"

She looked at him incredulously. Even without her eyes visible, the look on her face said _did you seriously just ask __me __that? _Chris already knew his answer.

"Well... I've got nothin better to do today. What do I have to lose?"

Chris was surprised by her answer. He expected something cutting and insulting, but it was a pleasant surprise.

"What do you got planned?"

"I was gonna head over to the tree house and hang out with Gordie, Teddy, and Vern."

She burst out laughing. That was the big plan for a Tuesday afternoon? She believed Gordie was the scrawny kid from the day she spun Vince's head around in front of Blue Point. And Vern was Billy's younger, less attractive brother.

"What? What's so funny?" Chris inwardly cursed himself. He sounded like Vern just then.

"You get your kicks from sitting around in a tree house all day? What do you even do, play with dolls and have little tea parties?"

"No. We smoke and gamble and read the detective murder magazines."

"Haha okay Chambers. Like you're so tough."

"Well no one said you had to come."

"But I know you want me to," she teased. "And like I said, I ain't got no place else to be."

They arrived at the tree house and Chris screwed up the secret knock out of nerves.

"That's not the secret knock!" A chorus of voices rose out from above.

Chris got more embarrassed watching her laugh again at their childish traditions.

"Shut the fuck up and let me up, you pissants." _Ha. Now she's impressed._

Chris went up first and she followed. As soon as she crawled through the trap door all of the other boys sat frozen to their spots. They turned pale faster than Vern could flinch.

"What the hell's the matter with these guys, man?"

What _was_ the matter? The problem was is they knew her. They knew her as Ace Merrill's younger sister. Now maybe they weren't entirely sure, but the looks were all there. She had the same hair, the same cocky demeanor, the same cool, even, bored tone of voice. She even wore the same clothes. The button up shirt with the ripped off sleeves and a t-shirt underneath with the black chinos and Converse high tops. What they all wondered was how Chris didn't notice. He obviously knew this girl from somewhere before and he didn't seem the least bit put off by her appearance.

"Are you just gonna sit here all day or are we gonna do somethin?"

The only one brave enough, or stupid enough, to speak up was Teddy. He was a wild card, you never knew what would go on if he talked, so they all prepared for the worst.

"What did you have in mind, dear?" Teddy raised his eyebrows lasciviously. Teddy thought she was pretty hot even if she was related to Ace Merrill. But hey, any living girl with huge tits Teddy practically died over.

"Definitely not what you're thinking. Especially with a pussy like you." This actually got the guys to laugh. It eased the tension.

"Oh come on. Every girl wants me. Don't try to deny it."

"Every girl? How many mothers do you have?" This remark got her a round of high fives from the others. Teddy never got picked on.

They got more into things and started to play some cards. She wiped the floor with them on every round.

"Damn. You really know what you're doin." Teddy was impressed.

"Thanks. And yeah I do. I learned from the best."

It seemed as if everyone had forgotten she was Ace's younger sister, a Cobra.

"What's your name?" Teddy could always be counted on to blurt an important question.

"My name's Alice. But if you call me that I'll kick your ass. But my nickname is Poison, so call me that."

"Hot and dangerous. I like."

"Man, shut up Teddy. Like you could ever get any girl, let alone a girl like her," Chris laughed and punched him lightly in the arm.

"Sorry Duchamp but I'm taken anyways."

Teddy looked stricken. "By who?"

She moved right next to Chris and put her arm around him. "Don't you know that I'm with Chris now?" She said it with a laugh.

"That's so funny I forgot to laugh."

It was almost as if she had become one of the guys, against Ace's warnings. He would kill her if he found out about this.

Chris walked with her out of the tree house and to home. They walked in silence until Chris finally spoke up.

"Sorry about Teddy. He's a dick sometimes."

She laughed. "Oh please. I've been around way worse. Good thing you were there, otherwise I might be Teddy Duchamp's new girlfriend."

"Well you could have used Gordie or Vern as your little joke boyfriend."

"Yeah no way I could have ever pulled that off. They're not good looking enough."

"Oh and I am?" Chris was hoping for a good answer.

"Well considering you're a Chambers kid you're alright," she said sticking her tongue out at him.

"Well for someone named Alice you're alright."

"I told you not to call me that, Chambers."

He feigned innocence. "Hey, you don't call me by my name; I won't call you by yours. It fits you better anyways. You aren't as hardcore as you try to act."

"Well I am not calling you Chris so fine."

Her house was right around the corner. "Au revoir, Chambers kid. I'll see you around, my love!" Alice burst out laughing, thinking about earlier.

"Not if I see you first, _Alice_!" They both laughed harder and he watched her run away towards the shack house she lived in. A little better looking than his if you could believe it.

Chris vaguely wondered if she was serious about it. About being with him or thinking he was good looking. You could never be too sure with someone like her. She was good at hiding her feelings, he could tell. But he hoped they would be great friends. If he got lucky, more than friends.

Meanwhile, Alice wondered what she had done. Was she starting to fall for Chris? Of course, she had done jokes like that before, but something told her that in the moment she was enjoying it more than she should have been. Or that she actually wanted it to happen. It was like she actually wanted to be with Chris. That would totally be going against the code. Going outside the Cobras, to a Cobra enemy no less, and going out with them? Especially when said boy was a Cobra's younger brother. Oh man, Ace would kill her if he found out. But then she realized he didn't have to know, because nothing had happened. All she had to do was sort out her feelings in her own head and make sure she made the right decision.


	3. Give It Up

***Note: The line about sitting in comfortable silence is from Pulp Fiction. It might not be exact but right around the same thing. I just thought it worked really well.***

**This is kind of a mindless chapter. It just shows the continuing closeness and sets the stage for the next chapter.**

**~Chris **

Even though she didn't want to, something deep inside her told her she had to. Alice knew she had to see Chris again. Something burned inside her every time she thought about him. One night, she just broke from sitting there thinking about him and took a chance. She went to the tree house, figuring he'd be there.

She was right of course. He sat in the grass outside it with his arms wrapped around his knees. He looked so peaceful sitting under the stars, bathed in moonlight. She almost didn't want to disturb him, just stay and watch him for hours. But Chris was good. It seemed like he could sense her, even though she hadn't moved, had barely breathed. Maybe he felt her the same way she felt him.

He turned and stared at her. She could feel his perfect blue eyes burning into her through the darkness.

"Chambers kid." Alice flicked her head at him and sat down beside him.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Looking for you." She pulled her pack of Winston's out from under her shirt sleeve. "Want one?"

"Sure." She pulled one out of the pack for him and lit it. Chris noticed she still wore those sunglasses, even at night.

"Want some beer?" She pulled a beer up from her side and popped the top off with her teeth as usual.

"You drink?" Chris was a little floored but it shouldn't have totally surprised him.

"Yeah. Don't you?"

"No. My dad's an alcoholic. It's too big of a risk."

Alice didn't take one sip; she tossed it into the trees nearby and listened to it shatter.

He searched her face for an explanation. "If you don't want it around, I won't have it. I should probably stop anyways." It was like she had read his mind.

They sat in silence for a while just watching their smoke curl up into the sky. It was nicer than talking. That was one thing she liked about Chris. They could share each other's company without having to talk about bullshit. Alice always found it odd why people always felt it necessary to talk about bullshit to be comfortable.

"You know you've found someone special when you can just sit in silence comfortably and shut the fuck up for a few minutes."

Chris didn't know what to make of this. She was right but it was the way she said _someone special._ Why did he feel that she actually liked him? She couldn't possibly. Then he blurted it out. "Do you like Teddy?"

"No. Did he put you up to asking? That kid... He's funny and all but no. I'm not into people like him like that."

"Oh. Then yeah I'll tell him." Even though Teddy didn't tell him to ask, this was one instance where it was better to lie.

"Who do you like?"

"Oh come on Chambers. You know I'm really in love with you." She laughed. It had become like a joke between them after that day with Teddy.

"Oh yeah. Like someone as pretty as you could ever love a Chambers kid."

"Aw you think I'm pretty?"

Chris leaned into her now. Their faces were right next to each other. _Chambers is making his move. Will the crowd go wild?_ "Oh yeah. Just stunning, darling. Gorgeous!" They laughed at Chris' attempt at a feminine voice.

But then Chris lingered there, their faces so close they were practically touching. Chris leaned in, he was so close. He was about to touch her lips with his, when she jumped up.

"I'm sorry. I, uh, have to get home."

She sprinted off. What the fuck had just happened? She had felt herself about to fall into the kiss. He was dangerous to be around. But she did feel bad for running off. But this thing just couldn't happen. It just wouldn't work out. Cobras did not kiss the little faggots that all the other Cobras made fun of.

Chris felt like an idiot. Of course she didn't like him. And now he had scared her off.

_The crowd did not go wild._


	4. This Maniac's In Love With You

It was around ten on a Saturday night. The Cobras were heading down to the pool hall as usual. Normally she would play and win every game. Sometimes they'd hustle people. Other days when she didn't feel like playing but had to hang out, she would lean against the wall outside and smoke and steal wallets. Tonight was one of those nights.

Alice just wasn't in the mood to hang out with The Cobras right now. Ever since last week when she had that little fiasco with Chris, she just felt weird. And her distance didn't go unnoticed by Ace either.

"Go down to the Chambers place and tell Eyeball to come down here. I don't know what the fuck he's doing." Ace was calling her from the phone in the bar. She was still at home.

She started her walk over to the Chambers house. It didn't really occur to her in the moment that Chris could possibly be home. But she didn't care. She just wanted to go home and wallow in sorrow.

The house always freaked her out a little. Maybe it was the fact it was in shambles and it looked like no one lived in it at all. Or maybe it was the people in it, especially the father. Alice was always grateful she didn't have a father like that. Not that Ace was replacement parent of the year but he didn't beat on her like theirs did.

Chris answered the door. She wasn't expecting him. "Is Eyeball here?"

"No. He just left. Something about meeting Ace."

"Oh well good. That's what I was coming to see him for."

When she went to leave, Chris followed her outside. "You can stay and we can hang out if you want."

"Why would I want to hang around a no good Chambers kid?" Her facial expression killed him.

"What? I thought you were different. I thought we were friends."

"Yeah well you thought wrong," she spat. "I never liked you Chambers. So don't try to fix me up with your friends or try to kiss me yourself. You're trash."

She was speaking out of anger. Anger at him for not trying harder. Anger at The Cobras for making everything so damn difficult. But mostly anger towards herself for not letting him in.

"Yeah well you're right; I shouldn't have tried to. Because it's obvious that you're just Eyeball's whore of the week anyways!"

Something snapped inside her at the moment. She threw a punch at his face and he actually fought back. They started fighting eachother hard. They were rolling on top of eachother on the ground, until they were bruised and black-eyed.

Eventually they stopped. It was like they had realized that neither was really serious about what they said. It had just come out in frustration.

It happened again, she could feel it in her stomach. It was all jumpy and nervous just like that night by the tree house. He was lying on top of her after they had stopped rolling around on the ground, kicking each other's asses. They were breathing heavy, faces only inches from each other. Then Ace and The Cobras showed up.

"Well what the fuck do you know about this?"

Alice threw Chris off of her. Ace was mad and he was out for blood. First, he was just pissed because he saw Chris laying on her. But then, in the light from the street lamp above, he saw her face.

"Why are you here? Weren't you guys playing pool?" Her voice was shaky and she could smell the beer on his breath.

"We got in a little fight, got kicked out. Thought maybe we'd head out and do something else and look at what we find."

Ace walked over to her and touched her face gently. He could see the bruising, the blood. And it was all that Chambers kids fault.

He walked over to Chris, who was frozen to the spot. Maybe he just thought running would only make it worse. Alice could see his switchblade glinting in the dim overhead light. But she couldn't say anything. It would only be worse.

In an instant, it was swept across Chris' arm in a deep cut.

Ace just laughed. "Don't fuck around with her again." The Cobras stalked off to go find another bar or go pass out at home or something.

Chris sat on the curb, unsure what to think now. Alice sat next to him and took her over shirt off. She removed her sunglasses to see better and then crumpled the shirt and stuck it to the wound to soak some of the blood up.

Chris saw it in her eyes. They were a light brown, with an odd yellowish tint. Ace's eyes. He knew now why she had came for Eyeball or why Ace had been so protective.

"Are you his sister?"

"Yes." She hung her head, ashamed.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I don't know. Maybe I just figured you wouldn't like me otherwise, because my older brother is a Cobra."

"Well you liked me, and my older brother's a Cobra."

"Yeah but it's different."

Silence passed the time. She sat there next to him, holding her blood soaked shirt onto his arm. This time it was an uncomfortable silence though, not a pleasant one.

"Do you really think I'm a no good Chambers kid?"

"No. I never have. Do you really think I'm a whore?"

"Never have, never will."

"You know, I'm really surprised you actually fought me this time. You don't seem like the type."

Chris pretended to look offended. "I can assure you I'm tougher than you. I'll take you right now even with this arm."

"Oh really? Bring it, Chambers. We can pick up right where we left off."

Chris swiftly tackled her to the ground so he was lying on top of her again. He could see it in her eyes this time, the way she looked at him. She had to like him.

He leaned in slowly, so not to scare her off again. His lips pushed against hers gently at first, but she put her hand on the back of his neck and kissed him back. It became harder and more passionate. They had both wanted this for a very long time. Chris could feel the kiss in every fiber of his being. The crowd was definitely going wild now.

Once the kiss broke, they stayed like that for a moment. Just staring at eachother and breathing heavily.

"That sounds about right."

***In case you didn't totally get the last line... In reference to earlier when she says that they can pick up right where they left off... Get it?***


	5. Dirty Dreams

**I would like to dedicate this chapter, or to use her word "chappie" to ****CherryPezFoo****. Mostly because she has read a lot of my stuff and has given me great reviews on pretty much everything. But also because she is the reason I'm writing these particular chapters. She told me to move forth with the romance a bit before hitting the end, and I decided to take that advice. Oh and she gave me the piece I needed on how to continue. Thanks for the advice! She has also become a great FanFiction friend. Enjoy!**

**You'll see me around, but not if I see you first**

**~C.C.**

Now if actually kissing Chris Chambers was bad, somebody seeing them was even worse. It wasn't Ace, thank god. Otherwise she probably would have been hided.

Teddy burst into the tree house the next afternoon. He bust through the trapdoor so fast that the milk carton holding it down shot up into the air.

"Jesus, Teddy. What's going on?" Gordie questioned him. He was used to Teddy behaving erratically but this was a little extreme, even for him.

"You guys are never gonna believe this," he could barely get the words out he was breathing so heavily. "Chris is goin with ACE'S LITTLE SISTER!"

Both Gordie's and Vern's mouths fell open. Gordie dropped his pen from the story he was writing and Vern's Coca-Cola shot out of his hand.

"Oh come on Teddy. That girl from the other day? We don't even know if her and Ace..." Gordie trailed off, realizing that he wasn't even believing his words.

"Yeah she is! I saw her walking out of his house! And she's a Cobra. I saw the snake carved into the arm!"

"Oh man," Vern finally spoke up. "What are we gonna do?"

"But they aren't goin together Teddy. They're just friends." Gordie was just trying to find something, anything, that would stop them from worrying.

"I saw them kissing last night in town!"

Well that did it. Now it was like they couldn't move at all. _This sounds like something I would write in one of my stories, _Gordie thought.

"We gotta do something guys," Vern whined. "He can't go out with her. She's... she's scary."

A light bulb seemed to pop over Teddy's head. "Alright, here's the plan. We need to go over to his house and smack some sense into that mother fucker."

For once, everyone else seemed to agree with an idea of Teddy's.

They ran so fast down to the Chambers place it looked as though Vern was going to have a heart attack. Teddy kicked the door open without even knocking first. Luckily, the father nor Eyeball were there. They ran to Chris' bedroom and busted in.

"Oh hey guys," Chris smiled at them. Then he must have noticed all of the guys faces. There was Vern's look of complete terror, Gordie's face read pure shock, and Teddy's was one of utter disgust. "What's wrong?"

"Oh don't pretend Chambers. We know what's been going on with you," Teddy spat.

"What're you talking about?" Chris, on the other hand, was genuinely confused.

"I saw you last night, and don't try to deny it. I saw you lying on top of Ace Merrill's younger sister; did you know he had a sister? Anyways, and I saw you jamming your tongue down her throat. Don't deny it." Teddy looked down at him triumphantly.

"Alright fine. I like her okay? Is that okay with you Teddy? Huh? Is that okay?"

"No it's not okay. Did you not hear me say she's Ace. Merrill's. Sister. He already hates you. Do you want to die?"

"Yeah I heard you. And she's a good person. You met her. I don't care if she's related to Ace. I like her."

Teddy shook his head as if to say _hey, young love, what can ya do?_

"You're probably just jealous Teddy that she picked me over you! And can ya blame her?"

"Alright that's it Chambers. You just signed your own death wish." But by now everyone could tell Teddy and Chris were joking with eachother.

Later on, Teddy saw her by the tree house. Man, did he think she was hot.

"So, I saw you and Chris last night. How cute," Teddy smirked at her.

Alice's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. "Oh god. Was anyone else with you?"

"No. But Gordie and Vern know now."

"Teddy, you can't tell anyone else about this. Ever. Otherwise it'll be the end of him, it'll be the end of you, and it'll certainly be the end of me."

"Why so jumpy about it? Can't stand the fact of everyone in town knowing you love a Chambers?"

"No. It's not that I'm embarrassed of Chris. How could I be? Ace is my brother. The point is that if Ace finds out it will be the end of me."

"Well I don't know. I mean it might just slip out... You never know..." He started walking away.

"Alright, what do you want?"

Teddy smiled at her. It was a certain kind of smile. _Oh god, what did I get myself into?_ Alice thought nervously. She never got nervous but man, someone knowing about her and Chris? Duchamp had power.

"I want you to show me your tits." Teddy had his eye on them from day one. And could ya blame him? They were pretty huge and he wasn't made of stone ya know.

"Are you kidding? No way!"

"Fine. Have it your way then. Oh Aceeee!" Teddy called into the night.

"Alright alright fine. But up in the tree house okay? Just in case there's anyone around."

Teddy led the way up into the tree house. _I cannot believe I'm doing this for him. Chris and I seriously need to be more careful. Apparently you can't trust this little son of a bitch. I should have just beat him up to keep him from telling, or threatened that in case he ever did squeal. Damnit. Well too late now._

This turned out to be one of the finest moments in Teddy Duchamp's whole life. At least so far.


	6. Dangerous Tonight

Days had past since the Tree House Incident and nothing happened. Ace appeared normal, so she knew Teddy had kept his promise.

In the tree house on a Sunday afternoon, they sat around bored. Sometimes playing cards day after day got a little boring.

"Seriously guys why don't we do something fun for a change?" Alice asked them with wondering eyes.

"What? This isn't fun?" Gordie joked.

"No, Lachance, this is not fun! You sit there everyday like the nerd you are writing some story, Teddy's just smoking like a chimney, and you, Vern... Cut down on the cherry PEZ for god's sake."

"Well what brilliant ideas do you have? Or would you like to go back to a few nights ago?" Teddy smirked at her. Alice gave him a glare that could have melted his face off.

"My better ideas don't involve you. So in other words I'm heading out. See you pussies later."

She climbed down the ladder and stalked off, Teddy close behind.

"I thought maybe we could hang out."

"What the fuck is wrong with you Teddy? You do not ever tell anyone about that understand?" By now, she had him by the shirt collar shoved up against a nearby tree. "Don't forget what I can do to you, Duchamp."

"Oh baby I know what you can do to me. And I love it."

She smiled and put her arms on the tree so they were pushed above him and leaned in like she was going to kiss him. She could see Teddy gulp out of nerves and ecstasy.

Then she kneed him right in the balls.

"Now I suggest you shut up unless next time you want me to kick you so hard you'll never be able to have kids. And stop hitting on your BEST FRIEND'S GIRL!"

You see, Teddy had meant to keep his promise. He really was. He just didn't prepare for the issues he was about to face.

Ace had heard from somewhere around since news in small towns tended to travel fast that his kid sister had a new conquest. And who did he see walking around but that Duchamp kid. He decided he would get it out of him who this kid was. After all, Alice and Teddy were the same age so maybe he would know the kid somehow.

Ace didn't hesitate at all and threw him up against the wall by his shirt collar for the second time that day. "Alright kid listen up. I heard my sister is going with someone now and I wanna know who. So if you're holding information out on me, I'll clean your clock."

"But... But... I don't know nothin I swear." Ace could see into Teddy's eyes he was lying, protecting something. He could also sense his fear. Ace could smell fear.

He pulled out his switch blade and held it across Teddy's throat. "I know you know something, kid," Ace spoke calmly. It was insane how he managed to keep his voice relatively smooth and calm in any instance. Teddy never remembered a moment where Ace had went overboard and started screaming or even raised his voice. "And I suggest you spill it before I spill your blood all over this street," Ace threatened casually.

Teddy knew what this meant. He had to tell him even if it meant breaking his promise to his, er, Chris' girl. Apparently she was actually Ace's girl. But she would have to forgive him, right? It was either their secret or his life.

"Alright, alright. I'll talk. She's with Chambers. Chris Chambers."

Ace immediately dropped his switch and his death grip on Teddy. He could see in his eyes the extreme anger that wasn't showing yet. He was perfectly still, just staring. He looked like Tony Montana when he saw his sister Gina dancing with that skeeze at the Babylon. (Yes, I know the movie wasn't made yet but that look he gives is perfect to describe this moment so bear with me.)

Teddy had no idea what Ace was going to do. He was a wild card and his light brown eyes said what he was afraid of; Ace was after blood.

But Teddy guessed he would soon find out what Ace was going to do because right then and there Chris, Gordie, and Vern turned the corner and the Cobras, sans Alice, came out of the alley where they had been smoking. They saw the way Ace turned and looked at Chris with the same bloodlust look. It was as if the world came to a standstill around them. Teddy ran to join his friends on their side and the Cobras backed Ace.

It was gonna get dangerous tonight.


	7. Bye Bye Baby

Alice saw the scene in front of her. Ace, staring Chris down like he was the hunter ready to kill the prey. Chris, looking like a deer caught in headlights. The rest of the gang was scared shitless standing behind him.

There had been many moments throughout her life where she felt a need to take action. The day she saw Gordie get his hat taken away, the day Chris had called her a whore, anytime she had needed to run from the law, and now. She could feel it inside her entire being. This was her moment.

She instinctively ran over and stood right in front of Chris. She barely knew him but knew she had to protect him. This was a major blow to Ace. She had chosen Chris over her own protector, her own flesh and blood.

"So I guess you know," she said flatly.

"Damn right I know. I told you to stay away from these faggots," Ace practically growled.

She faltered. "Yeah well, you can't control me, Ace. I'm old enough to make my own decisions." Alice never faltered for a minute. But he definitely had a power.

"Well you didn't make the right one." Ace pulled his switch out. "And if you think I'm not gonna do somethin about it you're mistaken."

The whole world was still. All she felt was the wind blowing her hair around her face. She even saw the other Cobras. They had no idea what he was going to do. All everyone could do was wait.

Chris put his hand on her shoulder; she turned and looked him dead in the eye. For once she had no shades. It was like they had a whole conversation.

_You don't have to protect me, you know._

_ I know. But I want to. It's not your problem. He's my issue to deal with._

Then she glared back at Teddy to do the same.

_How could you do that to me, to us? You little fuck._

_ He threatened to kill me! Don't be mad, please. _

_ I forgive you. Always, Duchamp. _

Alice smiled at him. She couldn't stay mad at Teddy. Especially when it had been his life. She couldn't blame him when most people would have done the same thing. But she never would have. There were two things Alice Merrill never did; one was she never sold her friends out and two was she never let someone else take the fall. Just because she was a Cobra, that didn't mean she had no loyalty.

Ace stepped closer, switch held high. Alice knew in that moment what she would have to do. It wasn't even a choice. She actually realized that she had been preparing for this the whole time.

"Don't you touch him, Ace," she said defiantly.

"And how are you gonna stop me?" He lunged for his throat but she grabbed his arm and pushed him back.

"Alright this is how it's gonna go. I know you want to kill him, Ace. But let's get one thing straight; you've got a choice to make. It's either him or me. Not both. Take your pick." She stood there unsure of what his choice would be.

Ace seemed to cloud over in thought. All Alice did was close her eyes and wait. Whatever happened, she didn't want to look. Then she felt it. There was a sudden force, a pressure, which hit straight through the side of her neck and she fell to the ground.

Nobody dared breathe. Chris leaned over her. Unlike the wound he got in the arm only a short while ago, this one just couldn't have a shirt stuck on it and _poof! _Back to normal. It was too deep. She was done.

"I wasn't gonna let him kill you. I knew I was gonna have to do this. I wouldn't let you take the fall," she practically croaked out. As usual she was still able to read his thoughts as if they were connected, even in the final hour.

The boys turned their heads out of respect. The moment killed them.

"Chris?" She looked up at him. That particularly struck him was that she had finally called him Chris. He'd sure miss having someone around that actually said Chambers kid as a term of endearment and not an insult.

"This is where we had our first kiss." She was almost done now, he could tell. She smiled up at him weakly. Then quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Chris held on just as tight until he came to the realization that there was no more. There was no more returning feeling; just him. She was gone as quickly as she had come.

Chris pulled himself away from her to look Ace in the eye. The knife was gone and Ace didn't try to hurt him or knife him too. He had actually respected what she said. It was one or the other and he had made his choice. It wouldn't have worked out if he would have let them both go, even though Chris wished it could have.

Ace nodded at him and turned to follow the rest of the shocked and sickened Cobras away. He felt regret. The one thing that he truly cared for in this world had ended by his own hand. He was the only one to blame. His jealousy had killed the love of his life, in a familial way, and there was no turning back the clock.

The thing was he didn't know why he had done it. For some reason, he knew he couldn't kill Chris, especially now. He had to honor her in that way at least. But his anger towards them both had been strong. Maybe it was because she knew someone had to go, and she had silently asked for it to be her, because she wanted to die for him.

Chris looked back at her one last time and then silently walked off, past the gang, who left him alone respectfully.

Then he went to the only place he knew he could be at peace.

The tree house.


End file.
